Magnetic Suspension System for Touch Screens and Touch Surfaces

1. A haptic device comprising: a first body and a second body; a haptic actuator for moving the second body relative to the first body and thereby provide a haptic effect; and at least one magnetic suspension system that couples the first and second bodies together such that the second body is movable relative to the first body, the at least one magnetic suspension system including a first programmable magnet coupled to the first body and a second programmable magnet coupled to the second body, wherein the first and second programmable magnets are configured to simultaneously repel and attract each other in a nominal configuration such that the second body is suspended a programmed spaced-apart distance from the first body, and wherein the first and second programmable magnets are also configured to exert a programmed spring force on the second body in a first direction when the second body has moved in a second direction opposite the first direction past the nominal configuration, and are configured to exert the programmed spring force on the second body in the second direction when the second body has moved in the first direction past the nominal configuration, such that the first and second bodies return to the nominal configuration when no other force is applied to the second body.

2. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the second body includes a touch screen or touch surface component that is attached to the haptic actuator.

3. The haptic device of claim 2 , wherein the first direction is a direction in which the touch screen or the touch surface component is moved closer to the first body, and the second direction is a direction in which the touch screen or the touch surface component is moved farther from the first body.

4. The haptic device of claim 3 , wherein movement of the second body in the second direction is less restricted by the at least one magnetic suspension system than movement of the second body in the first direction.

5. The haptic device of claim 4 , wherein the first programmable magnet and the second programmable magnet of the at least one magnetic suspension system are configured such that less force is required to pull apart the first programmable magnet and the second programmable magnet than that required to push together the first programmable magnet and the second programmable magnet.

6. The haptic device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one magnetic suspension system comprises four magnetic suspension systems disposed at respective corners of the haptic device.

7. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the second body includes a user input device of a peripheral.

8. The haptic device of claim 7 , wherein the user input device is a trigger.

9. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the first direction and the second direction extend along an axis of the at least one magnetic suspension system.

10. The haptic device of claim 9 , wherein the axis is the z-axis.

11. The haptic device of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one post extending between the first and second bodies, the second body including an opening sized to receive the post such that the second body is slidingly disposed over the post.

12. The haptic device of claim 11 , wherein the opening is sized only slightly larger than the post in order to restrict movement between the first and second bodies in at least the second direction, the first direction and the second direction extending along first and second axes, respectively, of the magnetic suspension system.

13. The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the second body includes a wearable component that is attached to the haptic actuator.

14. A haptic device comprising: a housing component; a touch screen; a haptic actuator for moving the touch screen relative to the housing component and thereby provide a haptic effect; and at least one magnetic suspension system that couples the touch screen and the housing component together such that the touch screen is movable relative to the housing component, the at least one magnetic suspension system including a first programmable magnet coupled to the housing component and a second programmable magnet coupled to the touch screen, wherein the first and second programmable magnets are configured to simultaneously repel and attract each other in a nominal configuration such that the touch screen is suspended a programmed spaced-apart distance from the housing component, and wherein the first and second programmable magnets are also configured to exert a programmed spring force on the touch screen in a first direction when the touch screen has moved in a second direction opposite the first direction past the nominal configuration, and are configured to exert the programmed spring force on the touch screen in the second direction when the touch screen has moved in the first direction past the nominal configuration, such that the touch screen and housing component return to the nominal configuration when no force is applied to the touch screen.

15. The haptic device of claim 14 , further comprising: at least one post extending between the housing component and touch screen, the touch screen including an opening sized to receive the post such that the touch screen is slidingly disposed over the post.

16. The haptic device of claim 15 , wherein the opening is sized only slightly larger than the post in order to restrict movement between the housing component and touch screen in at least the second direction, the first direction and the second direction extending along first and second axes, respectively, of the magnetic suspension system.

17. The haptic device of claim 14 , wherein the first direction and the second direction extend along the z-axis of the magnetic suspension system.